Parking charges differ for two-wheelers at Erode Railway Station

Parking charges differ for two-wheelers at Erode Railway Station

Parking charges collected for two-wheelers based on their engine capacity at the parking stand on the Erode Railway Station premises have raised concerns among commuters, who are urging the railway authorities to levy uniform charges.

The newly constructed parking stand, located at the station’s main entrance, is being operated by a contractor for a period of three years, from January 22, 2025, to January 21, 2028. While a two-wheeler up to 250cc is charged ₹10 for parking up to two hours, two-wheelers with an engine capacity above 250cc are charged ₹15 for the same duration. For 24-hour parking, ₹30 and ₹40 are charged, respectively, for these categories of vehicles. This system has not been well received by commuters, who have called it unfair to riders with high-capacity bikes.

K.N. Basha, vice-president of the Minority Wing and former member of the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee, in a letter to the General Manager of Southern Railways, Chennai, highlighted the disparity and demanded uniform charges for all two-wheelers, regardless of engine capacity. “It is common practice for parking fees to be uniform for all two-wheelers. The argument that bikes above 250cc occupy more space is unjust,” he said.

When contacted, a senior official at the Salem Railway Division told The Hindu that, as per the norms, the contractor was collecting charges for two-wheelers and that there were no violations. He clarified that the same system was followed at the railway junctions in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Salem.